This week @WHUFoundation hosted a community Unity Iftar with @MasjidIbrahimUK at London Stadium.
— West Ham United (@WestHam) April 19, 2023
Nayef, Saïd, Kurt and women's player Hawa Cissoko were all in attendance alongside family, fans and members of the local community 🤲
West Ham United Football Club and UKIM Masjid Ibrahim have come together to stage a community Unity Iftar at London Stadium, marking the first time an Iftar event has been staged at the iconic east London venue.
The event, which took place on Monday 17 April, was held as part of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, which this year takes place from Wednesday 22 March until Friday 21 April.
Unity Iftar is a community meal during Ramadan where people of the Muslim faith, of other faith and of no faith, are invited to come together to partake in the breaking of the fast in an environment of respect, mutual dialogue and engagement.
The event at London Stadium was attended by West Ham United Football Club senior staff and players, local politicians, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is the UK’s largest Muslim umbrella organisation with over 500 members including mosques, schools, charitable associations and professional networks multi-faith Leaders from across the country and members of the local community in the London Borough of Newham.
Nayef Aguerd, Kurt Zouma and Saïd Benrahma from the Men’s Team and Hawa Cissoko from the Women’s Team, all of whom are of Muslim faith, were in attendance alongside friends and family,
Asim Uddin, President of UKIM Masjid Ibrahim and Islamic Centre in Newham, said: “We are delighted to work in close partnership with West Ham United to stage the annual community Unity Iftar at London Stadium.
“This event has provided a special opportunity for people from the Mosque and local community to engage directly with the Football Club.
“It has also allowed West Ham United to engage with us in the spirit of friendship and receive an engaging insight into the life of the mosque, and build a greater understanding of Islam, which has further strengthened our community links with the Club.”
Jackie Ferdinand, West Ham United Director of Inclusion, said: “The Club has been delighted to work with UKIM Masjid Ibrahim to stage the first-ever Iftar Event at the London Stadium.
“We are proud of the positive role we play in our local community, and this has provided another fantastic opportunity to learn more about Islam.
“In addition, it has allowed the Club to showcase the vast range of career opportunities in football to a new audience and supported our journey to increase our diverse claret and blue fanbase.
“As a Club, we endeavour to be strategic in creating opportunities and ways of working that deliver meaningful outcomes to ensure individuals of all communities, backgrounds, and circumstances can access, enjoy and benefit.”
Kurt Zouma added: "I was very happy to be at the first Iftar event at London Stadium.
"It was important to share this time with a lot of people and a lot of West Ham fans too. It shows how big the West Ham family is and I am very proud of it.
"My family enjoyed it too and to have them here was really important for me."
Speaking at the event, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, the Mayor of Newham, said: “It was great to be at the London Stadium, the home of West Ham United, to join with friends, with local residents, with members of Masjid Ibrahim, but also West Ham Football Club and the foundation in celebration of the month of Ramadan.
“I think it's a really fantastic example of the football club's outreach and the importance that they place on community collaboration.”
The celebration on 17 April at London Stadium came one year after an Iftar Event was held at West Ham United’s Training Ground at Rush Green, where players, staff and their families all came together.